Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative
Federal and state regulations require that students with disabilities are educated with children without disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) to the maximum extent appropriate. According to Virginia's 2020-2021 Special Education Annual Performance Report to the Public, approximately 72 percent of students with disabilities spend 80 percent or more of the day in the general education classroom. Co-teaching is reported to be the most frequently used service delivery model in which general and special educators share responsibility for assessing student needs in light of curriculum demands, then share planning and delivery of instruction to all students within the general education classroom using a variety of instructional arrangements. Co-teaching has proven to be effective in promoting inclusive education and providing access to the general curriculum for students with disabilities in the LRE.
In support of Virginia's Statewide Inclusion Action Plan and in an effort to promote and improve the implementation of co-teaching throughout Virginia, the VDOE began the Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative. Through this initiative, demonstration sites across the Commonwealth provide opportunities for co-teaching teams and school/district administrators to observe high-quality co-taught instruction in inclusive settings. Visitors have the opportunity to observe model lessons, followed by scheduled time to engage in discussion with the site’s co-teaching team and school administrator regarding implementation practices, instructional planning, and factors that support successful co-teaching partnerships.